


I like to see the glass half full (hopefully of Jack Daniels)

by thecat_13145



Category: Agent Carter (TV)
Genre: Drunkenness, F/M, M/M, Unrequited Love, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-08
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-06-07 04:52:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6785965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecat_13145/pseuds/thecat_13145
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He should have done what he originally planned to do and ignored the invitation to the Sousa/Carter Wedding. Fortunately, he's got a friend to make sure he doesn't make a complete fool himself</p>
            </blockquote>





	I like to see the glass half full (hopefully of Jack Daniels)

**Author's Note:**

> Written to make up for my last fic.

“Is this seat taken?” Jack Thompson shook his head, not properly bothering to lift it.

“Thank you.” He heard the chair being pulled out and forced his head up to find himself staring at what appeared to be forest of dark curls.

He was wondering if the champagne, on top of the whiskey in his hip flask he’d been sneaking sips of just to get him through today, was a mistaken, when the curls flung back, revealing a face that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a painting.

“If I ever get my hands on the man who invented high heels, I will murder him. No,” She shook her head, the hair moving like a waterfall. “I will make him stand up for 24 hours in the fucking things.”

The curse word, coming out of the perfect painted mouth took him back for a second and all he could think of to say was, “How do you know it was a man?”

She put her head on one side and smiled at him. “No woman would design something so completely impractical.” She held out a hand. “Maria Collins Carbonell.”

Jack took it without thinking. “Jack Thompson.”

“I know.” He waited for her to expand on that statement and when she didn’t asked, “Bride or Groom?”

That smile was back again. “Can I go with neither?” She continued before he could think of anything to say, “Technically bride, I suppose, though I’ve never being formally introduced. I’m Howard Stark’s companion.”

“Ahh”

The kick from the stocking feet caught him completely off guard. “What the h…” he managed to stop himself just in time. Maria’s bright blue eyes were boring into him for a second, her face a mask of anger. Then she relaxed, the anger gone as swiftly as it departed.

“I apologize.” She sighed. “Companion was the wrong word, I should have said, I am Howard’s go to girl for a social situations where he needs a date of a certain...class shall we say?”

“You seem a very classy lady.”

“And you seem a very drunk man.” She glanced at him. “Can I return the question?”

“Both.” Jack took another sip of his champagne, because this conversation, in fact any type of conversation, was exactly why he’d gone to this seat, on the edge of the party to avoid. He was just waiting for it to reach the time where he could either slip away unobserved, or make his excuses and leave. Both seemed to be a long time in coming. “I’ve know Peggy and Daniel for years.”  
“In the SSR” At his shocked expression, Maria leaned closer. “Howard doesn't just chose me for my looks or my breeding, Chief Thompson.”

Jack glanced around the room. “Where is Stark anyway?”

Maria shrugged. “Over there.” She said, waving a hand off in the direction, where the top table was still gathered around in an intimate knot. “Congratulating the bride.” There was a bitter note of jealousy in her voice, which intensified as she added, “I don’t know what all the fuss is about. She’s pretty enough, but…” She trailed off, glancing at him, a look of pure desperation, asking him to explain that magnetic effect that Peggy had on people. He couldn’t. If he could explain it, he would have done what his first instinct was when the Invitation came in the mail, to ignore it and not attend. But then there was a second invitation, with a note hurriedly scribbled in Peggy’s hand. “Daniel and I would be very grateful if you could RSVP, Jack.”, that led him to suddenly respond as attending.

“Peggy’s a great girl.” He said suddenly feeling defensive.

“I know that.” her tone surprised him. “I just want to know what men see in her.”

“And why you are asking me?”

Maria shrugged. “Partly because you’re the only man at this thing not buzzing around her like flies around a honey pot, but mostly, Chief Thompson because I spent a lot of time in New York during prohibition. I can recognise a concealed flask at a hundred places.” She held out her hand. “Share?”

Thompson couldn’t help it. It felt like the first time he’d laughed since he came into the office to hear news of Sousa’s engagement. He pulled the flask from his pocket and sneaking a glance poured a generous measure into Maria’s outstretched Champagne glass. She drowned into like a lady, smiling at him.

“Tell me,” She said almost conversationally. “Is it true that Howard nearly flew a plane into New York, or is that one of Jarvis’s stories?”

*******

“Dance with me.” Jack blinked. They had been sitting here, exchanging stories of Howard Stark idiocy and sharing sips from the flask for...he wasn’t sure how long. It might have being ten minutes, it might have being a couple of hours. Time had been running funnily today, skipping ahead hours in the morning, when he was trying to get to the church, to minutes becoming hours as the organ began “The Voice that breathed over eden”

“Excuse me?”

Maria was on her feet, her shoes still resting alongside their table, holding out her hands. “Dance with me. Please.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re drunk and if we don’t do something soon, you’re going to get up on that stage and say something that you’ll regret.” Maria glanced around and leant in, “because while she might forgive you, He never would.”

The words reached him, like a gunshot to the chest. He stood up, and if his limbs were shaking struggling to support him, it could be the drink. Maria pulled his arms around her neck and steered him to the dance floor with a practised debutant's ease. 

“How did you know…?”

Maria dropped her head slightly, her body still subtly directing his in the steps. “Let’s just say I have some experience in seeing what unrequited love looks like. Particularly when it’s dangerous” She lifted her head. “Don’t worry. As far as anyone else is concerned, it’s the bride who's got your attention.”

Not the groom. Not Daniel Sousa. Now the husband of Peggy Sousa, formerly Peggy Carter. He looked at Maria’s eyes and saw… not pity, like he occasionally glimpsed in Peggy or Rose’s eyes, but...understanding. like she honestly knew something of what he was feeling.

It was the whiskey that made him drop his head to her shoulder and whisper into it. “It hurts.”

“I know.”

“Why does it hurt?”

“Love,” Maria said, deliberately. “Is a bitch. And she loves fucking with us.” She stared ahead over her shoulder. “Howard asked me to marry him before he shipped out. I told him not to be a fool. That I might want to get away from my father, but that I wasn’t that desperate.” The music, soft jazz, seemed very far away. “When Howard came back…” She swallowed suddenly. “Howard knows he’s going to marry me. So do I. All either of us is waiting for is the right time. But the man I’ll marry isn’t the one who asked me to marry him, he’s just a piece of him. But that has to be enough.” 

“Sousa isn’t wired that way.” Thompson’s voice is thick. “If I told him, if he ever guessed, he’d be disgusted.”

To her credit, Maria didn’t tell him he was wrong, didn’t tell him that perhaps Sousa wouldn’t be, that perhaps he felt the same way, but was just scared of those feelings, the things his treacherous brain had being saying at 2 am, when the whiskey was almost finished and the phone was too close.

it had never got so bad as to risk it. The world had changed a lot since the war was over, not always for the better. Things that once, when he was a kid, had almost being over looked, now could get a man blacklisted or worse. In his professional role, he’s seen it happen. Sometimes he worries about the paranoia that’s gripping his country, something that seems completely at odds with what he thought he was fighting for. 

Instead, she spun out, twisting under his arm, but still keeping their hands joined.

“Maria.” They both stopped, almost pulling apart. Howard Stark was standing there, Sousa standing beside him, his bowtie undone, but otherwise still in that damned formal suit that somehow or other made him look as sexy as those ugly sweater vests. “Peggy’s just changing into her going away suit, we’ll be leaving in a minute.”

“Right.” Maria sighed. “I suppose I’d better join the others.” 

It took Jack’s brain a moment to catch up. Right, her going away suite, then the throwing of the bouquet and Maria’s an unmarried woman, so...Maria was smiling at him, her body betraying no evidence of the whiskey they’d consumed earlier.

“It was nice to meet you, Chief Thompson. Thank you for the dance.”

“Thank you.” The social nicety rolled automatically off his tongue. his mother would have being proud. Maria smiled, mischievously and vanished, Howard trailing after her.

Sousa sunk into a chair and Jack automatically sat down. He could feel the whiskey starting to hit him.

“Didn’t see you at the reception line earlier.”

“Surprised you noticed with all the well wishers.” Every member of the Howlin’ Commandos, plus half the field offices of LA and New York, had turned out for the wedding. Plus Peggy’s relatives from England and Daniel’s from the midwest, a bunch of people Peggy had known in SOE and guys from Daniel’s old unit, he’d being pretty confident he could escape without being noticed.

He didn’t think he could do it. Could shake Sousa’s hand, could kiss Peggy’s cheek and tell them how happy he was for them. not when it felt like Peggy was holding his beating dripping heart out in front of him. 

“Congratulations.” He reached for a half filled champagne glass at his elbow and lifted it up. “To Mr and Mrs Susan. Or is it Carter?”

“You tell me chief.” Sousa was smiling. A slightly dazed smile, like a guy who won the lottery and still doesn’t quite believe it. He doesn’t want to, but Sousa is smiling at him so he smiles back.

“Seriously, Peggy’s a lucky girl.”

“I think i’m the lucky one.” Sousa was still grinning. “I mean, Peggy is just...incredible and I’m …”

“You’re pretty incredible yourself, Sousa.” Daniel looked at him for a minute in surprise and he realised that he’d had enough whiskey for this to be dangerous territory. “Just don’t let it go to your head.”

Sousa laughed. “Think i’ve had all the Howlin’ Commandos, plus half of British Intelligence threaten me of what will happen if I don’t make Peggy the happiest woman on the planet.” He smiled again. “Good job I’ve no intentions of doing anything else.”  
“Daniel.” both men turned their heads to see Peggy standing there. Jack could admit she looked spectacular in a mint green suite with her red hat perched perfectly on top. He raised his glass again. “Here she is. Mrs Susan.”

Peggy ignored him. “Jarvis is bringing the car around. We need to leave in a minute.”

“Right.” Daniel was on his feet, fumbling in his haste. The Leg brace Howard had provided had held up well enough during the day, but it’s getting late.

It’s sheer masochism that makes him ask. “So where’s the honeymoon?”

“Niagara Falls.” Daniels blushes slightly. “I know it’s a cliche, but…”

“Sounds Nice.” Jack got his feet, his movements overly careful. “Still expect you back in the office on 20th Carter.”

Peggy smiled. “Wouldn’t expect anything else, Chief.” He noticed her hands were empty. “Where’s your…?”

Peggy sighed. “It’s such a silly tradition.”

“I know Maria was looking forward to it.” he said, because he’s still a jackass. “Think she hopes to snare Stark.”

peggy looked at Daniel, who smiled. “You can do it from the car, we don’t have to stop.” He smiled. “Think my sister might kill me, if I didn’t give her a chance.”

Peggy looked at him for a moment like she wants to ask him something, but Dugan is there, pulling the wedding party away with Dernier offering advise in French, which he doesn’t think anyone other than Peggy understands and the moment is gone.

*********

“Chief Thompson.” Maria was standing there. He’d not seen her since the throng swept him along to watch Daniel Sousa vanish from his life. There’s no point telling himself that he’s being ridiculous, that they’ll both be back on the 20th, because they won’t, not really. Daniel will be married now. Will have someone to go home to, instead of spending every hour god sends and a few he doesn’t at the office. Will have these special jokes and moments with his wife, not his partner. Will eventually have kids to worry about. Somehow or other he’s ended up here, sitting at the edge of the dance floor, his tie in his hand. It’s a little worrying he can’t remember any of it.  
“Howard is just bringing the car around. can we drop you off somewhere?”

“Is he fit to be driving?” The question is automatic, because Stark had had at least as much to drink as him. Maria smiled. “Howard knows his limits.” 

“You going past the New York Phone Company offices?” he smiled at her. “Got a couple of things to take care of in the office.”

He doesn’t. Or nothing that couldn’t wait until tomorrow. But the lights will be on the office and even at this hour there will still be some agents there. He could walk in and curl up on the couch in his office and pretend for a little while that he’s not alone. 

Maria relaxed. “That’s on our route.” She said, her voice and eyes telling him that she thinks that’s a good idea. And it is. If he goes home to the empty apartment and has to think about 2 weeks of not seeing Sousa, of not hearing his voice at the other end of the phone...well, it’s not just the whiskey that can call him at 2 am, it’s also his old service revolver, kept hidden under his socks. 

He’s enough of a Catholic still to know that’s not a friend's voice calling him, but sometimes it’s hard not listen. 

At the office, there will be enough problems to drown out it out. And possibly enough to make him forget that he just lost Daniel Sousa forever. 

Epilogue.

“Good Party was it?” Obadiah Stane didn’t look up from the papers in front of him. “Usually I’d just consult the society pages, but obviously this one didn’t make it.”

“Can it Obie.” Maria sat down, half lifting up the dark glasses she was wearing in spite of the only hazy sunshine outside. Obadiah chuckled. 

“A very good party then. Did you try to keep up with Howard?”

Maria sighed, leaning back in the chair and closing her eyes. “Hey Obie?”

“Hmm?” Obadiah's eyes remained fixed on his papers. 

“Do you think it’s worse to be in love with someone and know that they’ll never love you back or to have those feelings and know that they might, one day, be reciprocated?”

Obadiah lifted his head, his heart threatening to pound out of his chest. “Excuse me?”

“Do you think it’s worse to be in love with a guy and know that there is absolutely 100% no chance that they will ever feel the same way about you, or to be in love with a man and have him occasionally throw you crumbs of affection?”

For a moment, Obadiah wondered if something had happened at the wedding. If Howard had said...then he reminded himself firmly that it wasn’t in Howard interests to do that. That he liked having Obidah and the rest around for the same reason he liked having beautiful women around him. That they fed his ego. That was all there was to it and he knew it and Maria thought she knew it too. 

O.K. Occasionally Howard would say something. Would do something, but that was calculated. Enough to keep them loyal. Enough to keep Maria in the dark. Breadcrumbs quite literally.

“Skinner noticed that if the rats never got a treat, by pushing the level that they became bored and eventually gave up.” He said, his voice sounding like it came to him from a long way away. “But that if they occasionally got a treat they would keep pushing the level. Just in case.”

Maria smiled. “You’re comparing being in love to a rat getting a treat?”

He wondered if Maria realised how cruel she was being, even if what she thought was true, that he was in love with Howard. 

He decided that she probably didn’t. Maria could be almost as insensitive as Howard on things like this.

“I think both are risking being trapped.”

He went back to his papers, though he knew he wasn’t really seeing them. Probably wouldn’t see them for a couple of hours, not until Howard eventually emerged.

Maria sat in silence for a couple of minutes, before she nodded. Getting to her feet, she wandered out of office, stopping on enroute to kiss the top of his head in apology. As soon as she had gone, Obadiah Stane shook his head.  
Crumbs of affection indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, in case it isn't clear, Obie is in love with Maria, but she thinks (from his past relationships with men) that it's with Howard. Howard knows this, but doesn't plan on telling her, because it feeds his ego to know that Obie wants his girl.


End file.
